Today's Top Alzheimer's News

An August 5, 2013 CBS News article reported that "research is showing breast-feeding may lower a mom's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States." According to the article, "The new study, published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on July 23, shows that mothers who breast-fed had a significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer's compared to those who did not."

An August 5, 2013 Scientific American article reported that researchers at Northwestern University have developed a nanotech-based early-detection system for Alzheimer's. According to the article, "Klein and Dravid created an antibody—an immune molecule that detects specific chemical structures—that binds to a particle implicated in Alzheimer's. They linked the antibody to a nanoscale arrangement of iron oxide compounds, similar to rust, which can be seen with magnetic resonance imaging. The brain scan could detect the disease early on, so patients can start treatment sooner than they can today. “Once the chain reaction of negative events starts, it's like a lit fuse. You want to intervene as soon as possible,” Klein says."

Caregiving and lifestyle

An August 5, 2013 Hernando Today (FL) article by caregiver Gary Leblanc emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for Alzheimer's. According to Leblanc, "It certainly makes a big difference having the right team put in place as early as possible. By "team" I mean family, friends and medical professionals. Early diagnosis is truly one of the keys to managing the symptoms of the disease."

An August 5, 2013 Wall Street Journal article reported on a fundraiser for the release of Dr. Neal Barnard's new book, "Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory," as well as to support the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Dr. Barnard's book stresses the importance of diet and lifestyle in preventing diseases like Alzheimer's. According to the article, ""Genes are not destiny," he continued. "Certain genes are dictated," like eye color, "but the genes for Alzheimer's disease are more like committees. They make suggestions." Which is to say, what we eat, drink and do have a profound impact on our health, regardless our family's medical history."

Why 2020?

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has retained its goal of stopping Alzheimer’s by 2020 rather than endorsing the goal of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease that calls for preventing and effectively treating the disease by 2025. While we support the national plan and its goals, we believe, as most every family touched by Alzheimer’s disease believes, that preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025 is simply too long a wait for concrete progress. There are promising avenues of drug discovery and development that will, if successful, deliver a means of slowing or deferring Alzheimer's symptoms by 2020. By voicing the urgency felt by so many families, we will pressure researchers and industry to do all in their power to make that happen.